The present invention relates to an irrigation and suction system, in particular for laparoscopic surgery, that allows in a manner that is reliable, versatile, simple, comfortable for the operator and safe for the patient to carry out a lavage and/or a drainage of the surgical site, in particular during interventions performed by laparoscopy, the system being further capable to be made in an inexpensive way.
It is known that laparoscopic surgery has been widely spread in recent years thanks to its reduced invasivity.
In order to perform an intervention with laparoscopic technique, an apparatus, also called laparoscopic suction irrigator, is used, that comprises, in most advanced configurations, a control base provided with a pumping unit and a handpiece, that has the function of producing an irrigation jet of physiological liquid and carrying out a drainage suction in order to maintain the surgical site view clean during the interventions. The liquid jet and/or the suction occur through a steel probe that is attached to the handpiece and placed by the surgeon close to the intervention location, wherein it is inserted through a device known with the term of “trocar”.
The irrigation liquid is drawn from a bag of physiological solution, connected through an infusion line provided with a spike, and it is sent by means of a pump, through an irrigation line, to the probe, that may also operate as suction device depending on specific commands that the surgeon imparts to a valve assembly placed on the handpiece. Depression necessary to aspiration is given by a vacuum line of the operating room, that is connected through disposable collection devices for active drainages.
In the prior art many irrigation and suction systems for laparoscopic surgery are known.
International Application WO 98/03214 concerns a system for irrigating and aspirating from a surgical site, having a pumping unit supplied by a battery and a handpiece.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,735 concerns a trumpet valve assembly usable for a surgical irrigation and suction system.
Application EP 1086713 concerns an irrigation and suction system for use during endoscopic surgery, provided with a trumpet valve fed, for irrigation, by a reusable motor to which a disposable sterile pump may be coupled through a quick connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,402 concerns a surgical irrigation and suction apparatus having a handpiece provided with a control rocking lever.
However, all the irrigation and suction apparatuses of the prior art suffer from some drawbacks.
First of all, they are not much versatile, their dynamic application under variations of surgical conditions being complex and not much reliable.
Moreover, they are uncomfortable to be used by the surgeon, since the means controlling their operation are not easily activatable.
In this context, the solution proposed according to the present invention is introduced, allowing to overcome the aforementioned problems.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to allow in a manner that is reliable, versatile, simple, comfortable for the operator, safe for the patient, and inexpensive to carry out a lavage and/or a drainage of the surgical site, in particular during interventions performed by laparoscopy.